Puig should wait, Scioscia says

(MCT) ANAHEIM, Calif. — Los Angeles Angels manager Mike Scioscia said Thursday he would not include Dodgers outfield phenom Yasiel Puig on the National League All-Star team.

"I think he needs to go a little farther to earn it," Scioscia said.

Puig has captured the imagination of fans across the country, but he has only 114 at-bats, ranking 11th on the Dodgers in that category. He is batting .430 with eight home runs, in 29 games.

Scioscia echoed the concerns of San Francisco Giants manager Bruce Bochy, who will manage _ and help select _ the NL All-Star team.

"If he's not an All-Star this year, he's going to be an All-Star for years to come," Scioscia said of Puig. "But I do think you have to play enough to earn a spot on the All-Star team."

Nonetheless, as Bochy works with Major League Baseball officials to complete the NL roster, Scioscia said he expects Puig to be given strong consideration.

"I don't think MLB will discount what he's done, even though it's a limited number of at-bats," Scioscia said. "There's a pull to bring the best players to the game, because of the bearing it has on home-field advantage in the World Series. That's going to give him a deeper look than maybe it would have been in any other situation."

Scioscia, a longtime Dodgers star, had no reservations about Puig's talent.

"He's as dynamic a player as you're going to see in the major leagues," Scioscia said.